Thursday, July 29, 2010

A good way for an author to help themselves is to help others. That was the main intention of this blog in the first place so it's time I started holding up my end of the bargain!

Here's how it goes:

Comment somewhere on this blog that you'd like to be featured here

Follow this blog (the more followers the better for you and me)

Send me the information for your book via authorjcphelps@yahoo.com (I will respond with a date that your book will be listed.)

What you need to include in your email.

Links to where your book can be found - Amazon, Smashwords and anywhere else

A cover picture of your book (jpg format)

Either a short synopsis or the back blurb from your book

Any comments from the author you'd like to add. For example, is the book on sale anywhere or are you hosting a contest/giveaway that you'd like to mention

I would only like to include one review, so pick a good one

Depending on my response I hope to list at least one new author a week. Please spread the word.
This is a work in progress. There may be changes to the submission process as I learn what works and what does not.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

As I was sitting at my computer, actually writing, I heard the familiar "ting," meaning I have mail. I went directly to my inbox and sure enough, there it was.

Smashwords sent me a notice to let me know Color Me Grey had received a new review! I eagerly went to my Smashwords page and saw... THREE STARS. Oh, the horror... but THEN I read the review. I'm not at all displeased.

The review originates from Maria Romana, who writes the Contemporary Romance Books Blog. I am going to post the review below my commentary, but you can see it at her site as well. There is a link to her blog directly above or you can go to my links section and click there.

J.C. Phelps’ Color Me Grey is the first of a three-book series about Alexis Stanton, a spoiled rich girl who decides to trade in her easy life as a data processor living off Mom & Dad for one of action and adventure, by embarking on a new career with a mysterious company where everyone is code-named a color–Mr. Black, Mr. White, Mr. Red. Alexis, code-named Ms. Grey, is the first woman to join this team of highly trained professionals and quickly shows up the men with her skill, daring, and never-quit attitude. Much of the book is devoted to the details of Alexis’ training as a fighter, scuba-diver, and survivalist, and only becomes a true action/adventure novel near the end when she joins the team on a rescue mission that hits close to home.

The novel is strongly pro-female in that Alexis is continually shown as being at least as capable, if not more so, than her male colleagues, which for me, was a bit unbelievable. That a petite woman could take down a trained male opponent twice her size, while intoxicated no less, was one of several points I had to take on faith, but for younger female readers, Alexis would likely be inspirational. The book also includes hints of romance, but in this volume at least, nothing that comes to fruition.

Color Me Grey is written in the first-person, past tense point-of-view, and at times, a bit stream of consciousness. I’ve said before I’m not a huge fan of first-person POV, but it does lend a youthful, up-to-the-minute air to this novel. The writing itself would benefit from some additional editing, as it suffers from occasional bouts of over-explaining, a few spelling errors, and some misused phrases. I would also prescribe a healthy dose of commas for the longer sentences. Editing issues aside, however, if one enjoys adventure novels where the focus is more on action and less on character and relationship development, Color Me Grey will be just what the doctor ordered.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

The first thing I do in the morning, after pouring my coffee, is check my email, Facebook, Blog, and other related internet browsing areas. This morning I was happy to find a new and positive review for Color Me Grey!

Jenn Carley said...

I just finished reading "Color Me Grey" and I have three words for the book...WOW, WOW and more WOW. Meet Alexis Stanton. She is smart, tough, fit and very pretty. She reminds me of the character "Lora Croft". The character "Alexis" thinks she looks like Lora Croft too except she does not have the accent. From the beginning to the ending there is non-stop action. I love the character's too - From the Dad to Mr. White to Mr. Black. I will be reading "Shades of Grey" and "Reflections of Grey". Thank You J.C. Phelps for a wonderful novel! I really enjoyed it. To the next adventure...Shades of Grey!!

July 24, 2010 10:43 PM

Jenn posted a review on ten different pages, giving her ten entries. Here is the list of where she posted. If I've missed any, Jenn, let me know so I can update!

Friday, July 23, 2010

I thought I'd take the time to share this review and post the list of people who are entered into the contest so far. If I've missed a review of yours please let me know so I can update your number of entries.

Here is the review that was left on here, Smashwords, Amazon and Goodreads:

Author J C Phelphs has created a marvelously fast-paced adventure with the petite MC Alexis Stanton a package of 5'4" dynamite, with long straight hair and a serious attitude if you cross her.

Alexis has a very interesting background including special services training{Private yet}. A wealthy and connected family, with an Admiral for a daddy. Alexis has to draw her own conclusions on just what it is daddy does for the government. Her inherited sense of adventure send her on an interview for a most unusual position.

This is an unusual book, written for a market tired of adventures that only include the undead and people with a nasty overbite. It moves fast, the characterizations are clever yet believable, and the adventure is full on. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

To enter all you need to do is review Color Me Grey. Once your reviews are posted all you need to do is drop me a line with your name, email address and a list of where you posted your reviews. You can send me a message on my blog, my Facebook or my email. Those of you that have already reviewed on Amazon will automatically be entered.

For every review posted you will get one entry. For example, if you put up a review on Smashwords and copy and paste it over to Amazon, Shelfari and Goodreads you will be entered four times. Posting on any website, listed or not, qualifies as an entry so don't forget to include your blog too!

I will be giving away the second book in the series, Shades of Grey.

The deadline is September 1st!

***Dropping me a line with your return email address is very important otherwise I won't be able to notify you if you've won. I will not share your email addresses with anyone!***

Sunday, July 11, 2010

The book club I joined, Kindle Obsessed Book Club, is making their choice for the first book we are going to read. I've cast my vote and am waiting to see which book will be chosen. I'm excited to be able to read with a group. This will be my first experience with a book club. I just hope I LOVE the book that's chosen. I really don't like having anything bad to say about a book.

I'm working on another installment in the Alexis Stanton Chronicles but am not promising I will finish it and make it public. If anyone has any ideas for a main story line don't hesitate to give me suggestions. I do have an idea in mind but I have to work out all the kinks before I get too involved. Also, if I do well with this next one, I'll be needing ideas for the next one and the next one!

To me, finding the story is one of the hardest parts about writing. If I have a story I can easily put it down but I first have to find that perfect story that speaks to me. What is it that you find the hardest part about writing?

The one answer I expect to see is MARKETING. I will admit, the marketing part of the process is, by far, the hardest part. It's amazing how many books there are out there. If an author hopes to make a living with their writing I'm thinking they will have to either be a marketing guru (having a good book helps a lot) or have quite a lot of money to spend on marketing/advertising.

Well, I'm off to check the voting process for the book club. If anyone is interested in joining you can click the link above and it'll take you directly to the Kindle Obsessed Book Club page, or simply click here.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Here I am, at 4:00 in the morning, waiting for the baby to go back to sleep so I can do the same and I find a blog award notice in my comments section from Writing on Thin Ice.

Apparently, (because I won), this award has nothing to do with excellence in writing or anything like that. But, I WON, I WON, I WON.

There are four rules that go along with this great award. They are as follows:

❦ Thank THE GIVERS and link back to their blogs.
❦ Share SEVEN things about myself.
❦ Pass along to SEVEN bloggers.
❦ COMMENT on their blogs to tell them of the award.

I've already linked to THE GIVER, but I'd also like to add that Writing on Thin Ice is hosted by Lisa Koosis, the author of Fresh Blood. For a reminder, she has about a week left in the contest she entered. If you are so inclined, you should take a moment and go vote for her. You can find my original post about Fresh Blood here.

Now, onto the SEVEN things about myself...

Let me see... oh, I need glasses.

I am married.

I have three wonderful daughters.

I live on my parent's 80 acres, just like Alexis Stanton in my books. Though that's the only resemblence.

I don't care for jewelry.

I'm pretty darn tired at the moment.

I get goofy when I'm tired.

There! I really hate talking about myself. But, I worked through it.

Now I have to find and pass this award onto SEVEN other bloggers and comment on their blogs to tell them.

I live on my families property (80 acres) and the community fireworks display is held on our place.

This is one of the best things we could ever hope for. Tons of people from the community and outlying communities come to see the show and stop by for short visits. I love it!

I'm proud to be from the United States of America. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best place on the planet. Not only do we have a variety of terrain and territory, we have a variety of people. These are some of the reasons I'm happy to be a part of it all. But what makes me the most proud of our wonderful country are the men and women that serve to protect the rest of us that stay home to raise our families.

The following pictures are of the show held at our place and I want to thank the community for their donations, support and involvement. Thank you goes to the Volunteer Fire Fighters that really make the show what it is. But I also want to thank those that have given their lives to the service of protecting our freedoms.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

A fellow author, Lisa A. Koosis, has entered into Dorchester Publishing's "Fresh Blood" contest. She has made it to the last round and asks that we take the time to read the two remaining entries and vote.

Lisa writes:

You can find more about the contest at: http://chizine.com/freshblood/. There you can also read more about the books competing, including the first chapters, cover copy, brief author biographies, as well as the judges' comments for each round of the finals.

My unpublished novel, "Heart of the City," has been named one of two finalists in the last round of Dorchester Publishing's "Fresh Blood" contest. The grand prize is a publishing contract with Dorchester's Leisure imprint. To win this would be my dream come true...but I need to ask for your help.

A panel of judges (including editors and published authors) put my book through to the Top 5, but the winner is chosen by popular vote, so I'm asking for your vote. It would only take a minute of your time and would help to make my dream come true.

To vote, simply send a blank email to freshblood@chizinepub.com and in the subject header put "Fresh Blood Vote - Heart of the City." Voting will run through July 14th at midnight EST, and they will accept one vote per unique email address.

Friday, July 2, 2010

I know I said I want to start posting reviews of books on my site, but I'm having a bit of trouble deciding how to go about this.

I can easily tell you if I liked a book or not but to "review" is something entirely different. I believe reviews should have some substance other than "I liked this book," or "I didn't care for it." And, because I don't want to spend days agonizing over what to write about a book I will leave the reviews alone for a while.

I do, however, have a new review of Color Me Grey. This is a true review. I sent my book off to KindleObsessed some time ago and have been waiting somewhat impatiently for some time now. KindleObsessed is worth checking into - even without the review of Color Me Grey. http://www.kindleobsessed.com/

She is unabashedly honest for the reader and is a gifted writer as well. You can witness this at her site. She also states that paranormal, vampires, that kind of thing is what she prefers to read. That being said, I was extremely worried that she would be less than thrilled with Color Me Grey so I haven't told many people about my wait.

How wrong I was to worry. She has (in my opinion) given my book a glowing review. I'm so happy I could dance - if it weren't so hot in here. I think it's still 100 degrees in my house!

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